Funny, no one has mentioned this week that the Steelers should trade or release Ben Roethlisberger.

Not during Baltimore week.

Not with first place on the line in the AFC North Division Sunday night.

Not after Roethlisberger played such a terrific game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday.

Really, isn't it amazing how the ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers because of his sexual assault case in March in Milledgeville, Ga., has died down because the team is 8-3 and he's playing great football?

Did you know you can buy a Christmas ornament with Roethlisberger's likeness on it for $9.99 to hang on your tree?

I'm betting it will be a huge seller this year.

I give Roethlisberger a lot of credit. He has won back Steelers fans by keeping a couple of promises. He apologized for acting like a creep and promised to be a better person. From what I can tell, he has done that. He also apologized to his teammates for causing such a distraction -- notably his four-game suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the start of the season -- and promised to do his part to make the team a Super Bowl contender. No question, he has done that.

Did you see Roethlisberger in the 19-16 overtime win against the Bills?

"I told him after the game, 'I'm happy to be on your team. I'm glad I'm playing with you,' " wide receiver Hines Ward said.

Roethlisberger helped the Steelers convert 8 of 10 third-down plays in the first half and build a 13-0 lead. He scrambled for 18 yards on a third-and-17 play in the fourth quarter to set up a field goal and a 16-13 lead. Then on a third-and-8 play on the winning drive in overtime, he looked right for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and looked down the middle for Ward and tight end Heath Miller before finding wide receiver Mike Wallace to his left for a 17-yard gain just as the Bills' pass rush closed in.

"It's so rare for a guy to be able to stay focused in that beehive," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "You have to have a special gift. He's got it."

Roethlisberger's 18-yard scramble was, for me, the best play of the season. He made a spectacular move in the pocket to spin away from linebacker Chris Kelsay, who beat offensive tackle Flozell Adams to the outside. An instant later, feeling pressure from defensive end Marcus Stroud who was chasing him with foul intentions, he sprinted to his right.

"My thought process at that point is to get up to the line of scrimmage but not go over it," Roethlisberger said. "People talk about me taking too many sacks and not going down and taking hits. But that's just me. Whatever it takes to make a play."

"He's always looking down the field," Ward said. "That's why we as receivers can never give up on a play."

There was no play to be made this time. Roethlisberger had to run. The problem was he couldn't get to the first-down marker and get out of bounds. He had to cut back inside to avoid a hit from safety Jairus Byrd before being tackled from behind by linebacker Aaron Maybin.

"It's third-and-forever and he gets the first down," Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny said.

"He was going to get that first down, come hell or high water," Arians said.

"That was just the competitor coming out of me," Roethlisberger said.

"When you see your quarterback do that, other guys feed off it," Ward said.

Roethlisberger's work continued on the sideline after that drive. Four plays after his scramble, Sanders dropped a third-down pass that would have gone for a first down and maybe a touchdown. The kid was inconsolable coming off the field.

Roethlisberger had a similar message earlier for running back Rashard Mendenhall, who lost a fumble at the Steelers' 29. "No one felt worse about it than him," Roethlisberger said. "I told him, 'Keep your head up. Keep running. We're going to need you.' Sure enough, we did."

Mendenhall had six carries for 27 yards on the winning drive. Soon after kicker Shaun Suisham ended the game with a 41-yard field goal, Steelers guard Chris Kemoeatu found Roethlisberger on the field, gave him a hug and apologized for having a rough day that included four holding penalties.

"I told him I didn't care about that," Roethlisberger said. "I told him I liked the way he kept fighting. He has to move on from this. We're going to need him in the next game."

The Baltimore game.

As much as the Steelers need Kemoeatu to be of sound mind and body against the Ravens, they need a healthy Roethlisberger more. He said he aggravated a foot sprain late in the first half against the Bills. He said his foot originally was hurt in the New England game two weeks earlier.

"The only time I can remember Baltimore beating us recently was when we didn't have our starting quarterback," Ward said.

The man's memory is right on. The Ravens beat the Steelers in October when Roethlisberger was suspended. They beat them last December when he missed the game with a concussion. They beat them in December 2007 when he sat out with a sore arm and a bum ankle to get ready for the playoffs.

The Steelers have won the past five games against the Ravens when Roethlisberger has played.

Really, isn't it amazing how the ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers because of his sexual assault case in March in Milledgeville, Ga., has died down because the team is 8-3 and he's playing great football?

To hell with that. I want people to forgive him because they took the time to read the reports and hear the PCs and the audio/video and they realize he's innocent.

If those same self righteous sons of bitches are forgiving Ben just because they are 5-2 with him? Then they can shove their "morals" up their collective asses.

BradshawsHairdresser

11-30-2010, 05:59 AM

Ben has had many difficulties to deal with this season, but perhaps the greatest obstacle he's had to overcome is the sheer ineptitude of his Offensive Coordinator.

proudpittsburgher

11-30-2010, 09:16 AM

Really, isn't it amazing how the ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers because of his sexual assault case in March in Milledgeville, Ga., has died down because the team is 8-3 and he's playing great football?

To hell with that. I want people to forgive him because they took the time to read the reports and hear the PCs and the audio/video and they realize he's innocent.

If those same self righteous sons of bitches are forgiving Ben just because they are 5-2 with him? Then they can shove their "morals" up their collective asses.

I have to agree with this.

sentinel33

11-30-2010, 01:25 PM

Crash is right on. Fair weather friends can suck it. through thick and thin. i wanted to lop heads when i was reading about all the turncoats wanting ben gone. and now look at 'em. makes me sick in my gut.

im praying he lights em up sunday night. praying real hard he has one of those epic games.

costanza2k1

11-30-2010, 02:03 PM

Of course winning changes everything. Look at Kobe for example, he was up against Brees for sportsman of the year...

papillon

11-30-2010, 03:08 PM

Really, isn't it amazing how the ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers because of his sexual assault case in March in Milledgeville, Ga., has died down because the team is 8-3 and he's playing great football?

To hell with that. I want people to forgive him because they took the time to read the reports and hear the PCs and the audio/video and they realize he's innocent.

If those same self righteous sons of bitches are forgiving Ben just because they are 5-2 with him? Then they can shove their "morals" up their collective asses.

Crash, don't have a heart attack my friend, we all know he was never charged and the evidence bears this out. It's okay there will always be those that don't believe what their eyes and ears are telling them, don't worry about it. His teammates, family and friends were always on his side and that's all that really counts. His play this year is bearing out the fact that there isn't a black cloud over his head and he's into being the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It's all good my friend, don't sweat it.

Pappy

feltdizz

11-30-2010, 03:28 PM

Really, isn't it amazing how the ill will toward Roethlisberger and the Steelers because of his sexual assault case in March in Milledgeville, Ga., has died down because the team is 8-3 and he's playing great football?

To hell with that. I want people to forgive him because they took the time to read the reports and hear the PCs and the audio/video and they realize he's innocent.

If those same self righteous sons of bitches are forgiving Ben just because they are 5-2 with him? Then they can shove their "morals" up their collective asses.

why are you so angry? :oops:

I gotta agree with you on this... because you HATE Hines and he had a decent game last week. Winning doesn't equal forgiveness from the fans.

Fans just want to cheer the team and not have to defend off field nonsense.

Crash

11-30-2010, 05:15 PM

I hate Hines' yap against his own team. He should shut his mouth, realize how grateful he should be to be where he is and just play football.